In a dramatic late-night ruling, Cameroon’s Special Criminal Court sentenced former Defence Minister Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o to 30 years in prison on charges of corruption, embezzlement, illicit enrichment, and money laundering. The verdict, delivered between April 4 and 5, marks one of the most high-profile convictions in the country’s recent anti-corruption drive.
Mebe Ngo’o, once considered one of the most powerful figures in the Cameroonian government, was accused of embezzling nearly CFAF 196 billion in public funds. Though the court confirmed he could not justify the origin of his vast wealth, including properties in Yaoundé and Douala, it opted not to impose financial penalties or confiscate his assets.
The court also handed 25-year prison terms to his close associates, Maxime Mbangue and Colonel Ghislain Mboutou, for their complicity in embezzlement and aggravated money laundering.
While the sentences have been hailed by some as a milestone in the country’s fight against corruption, others view the Special Criminal Court as a political tool wielded by President Paul Biya to silence dissent and consolidate power. Critics, including local media outlets such as Cameroon Intelligence Report and Cameroon Concord News Group, allege that the court lacks impartiality, independence, and transparency.
A Court Under Scrutiny
Established in 2011, the Special Criminal Court was touted as a bold move to root out high-level corruption within the Cameroonian elite. However, its operations have raised eyebrows among legal experts and civil society organizations who argue it operates more as an extension of the presidency than a pillar of judicial fairness.
Observers point to cases like that of Titus Edzoa, a former Secretary-General at the Presidency who was imprisoned after declaring his intention to run against President Biya. Edzoa’s release came only after a politically expedient presidential pardon—one that critics say was more about freeing a French national, Thierry Atangana, than any recognition of injustice.
Similar concerns were raised when ex-minister Bapes Bapes was abruptly released from custody following a presidential order, nullifying a court-issued arrest warrant. These incidents have fueled speculation that the Special Criminal Court operates at the President’s discretion, with little regard for judicial independence.
“The court is neither free nor fair—it is the President’s court,” said a legal analyst who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. “It fails to meet even the basic threshold of rule-of-law governance.”
Fighting Corruption or Silencing Rivals?
President Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, has faced mounting criticism over his administration’s entrenchment of corruption and mismanagement. For many, the creation of the Special Criminal Court was not just about judicial reform, but a calculated attempt to rehabilitate his international image amid growing scrutiny from global watchdogs.
Cameroon has consistently ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, and diplomatic sources suggest Biya’s reputation abroad was increasingly at odds with his efforts to attract foreign investment and diplomatic goodwill. The Special Criminal Court, in this view, has become a dual-purpose instrument: cracking down selectively on graft while neutralizing political threats from within his own Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).
A Nation Demands Reform
Despite the optics of accountability, critics argue that the selective application of justice only deepens public mistrust. Many Cameroonians, weary of decades of economic stagnation and government impunity, are calling for a genuine rule-of-law system—one in which all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, are held to the same standard.
“The people want justice in the name of the Republic, not in the name of the President,” said a political commentator. “True reform will only begin when courts are allowed to function independently, free from executive interference.”
As Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o begins his decades-long sentence, the country remains divided—some see a fallen titan finally held accountable, while others see yet another example of how justice in Cameroon is less about the law and more about who holds power. Either way, the ruling has renewed debate about whether the Special Criminal Court is the solution to corruption, or a symptom of a deeper, institutional ailment.
By FCCT Editorial Team freeslots dinogame telegram营销
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